Business Brain Food

We get deep and spiritual with our guest this week, as Margie Warrell talks us through how to face our fears in business and in life.

As an author of multiple books, Margie has certainly walked the walk. She is the first ambassador for Women in Global Business, and is also an ambassador for Beyond Blue, helping to remove the stigma attached to mental health. And for good measure, she’s climbed Kilimanjaro, and has interviewed the guest that would end all guests for BBF, Richard Branson! Some day we will make it happen!

Keep reading for some great tips from Margie:

 

**  It’s not what we think to fear, it’s what we link to fear. We create worst-case scenarios, rather than focusing on what we can gain.

**  As humans we’re wired to certainty, but this can be the worst thing. To take your business to another level, you need to make brave decisions.

**  Before a big decision, think “if I wasn’t afraid, I’d do this”.

**  Think in an experimental way where you the kind of decisions you need to make are more about dipping your toe in than being all or nothing.

**  Expand your circle with ambitious people.

**  Write down your visions on paper – don’t just think about them. It brings everything to life.

**  Moving away from pain is a stronger motivator than moving towards pleasure.

 

In this episode of Business Brain Food you will learn:

 

**  How to use fear to your advantage

**  Imposter syndrome

**  The definition of a ‘smart risk’

**  The seven core steps to make your mark

**  How to get out of a rut

**  The potential of embracing discomfort

 

Resources mentioned in this episode:

 

**  Ben’s free business Ebook: http://www.maxmyprofit.com.au

**  Margie’s website: http://www.margiewarrell.com

**  Margie’s latest book, ‘Make Your Mark’ can be purchased directly here: http://www.makeyourmarkguidebook.com

**  All previous BBF episodes & show notes can be found at http://www.businessbrainfood.com.au

**  Twitter: https://twitter.com/bfewtrell

When Margie quoted Mark Twain during the show, it said it all. Take heed of this: “I’ve known a great many troubles in my life and most of them never happened.”

Also, if you are enjoying these Business Brain Food podcasts, then make sure to share them via social media sites or email the links to family and friends. A lot of time and effort goes into producing each of these podcasts with the goal in mind of the more people we can inspire about business the better. You can help us do just that!

Until next time, have a profitable day.

Cheers,
Ben Fewtrell
(02) 9811 5000

Direct download: BBF140_Making_Your_Mark_with_Margie_Warrell.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm AEDT

We all need a good company website, right? So it’s lucky we have a man on the show who cuts through the bullshit and gives us all the best shortcuts we need to “turn people’s websites into rockstars”.

Our guest this week is Jon Hollenberg, a man with 18 years of experience and thousands of websites behind him, having worked with clients as big as Qantas and Jeep. This man really knows his stuff!

Here are some great pearls of wisdom from Jon:

 

**  40-45% of businesses don’t have a website. Don’t be one of them!

**  A website has a lifecycle, you have to keep innovating and investing.

**  People scroll more these days, so you don’t need to cram everything into an old-fashioned “above the fold” layout.

**  Do not forget how important mobile responsiveness is.

**  When devising a website, have clear intent, i.e. Who is your client? What do you want them to do? How do you measure it?

**  Remember you need to dedicate time and effort to create fresh content for your site. The real work starts after you’ve built the site.

**  Have an ongoing relationship with your site designers and builders. Tweaks can make a big difference.

 

In this episode of Business Brain Food you will learn:

 

**  The importance of mobile optimisation

**  The power of Google analytics

**  The lifespan of a website

**  The assets you need to keep your website relevant

**  Diagnostic tools

**  How to blog effectively

**  The power of video content

 

Resources mentioned in this episode:

 

**  Ben’s free business Ebook: http://www.maxmyprofit.com.au

**  John’s book can be found on his website here

**  All previous BBF episodes & show notes can be found at http://www.businessbrainfood.com.au

**  Free giveaway of John’s book on BBF Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/businessbrainfood

**  Twitter: https://twitter.com/bfewtrell

 

Jon’s great quote is a good one to end with: “Be clear on what success actually looks like, and work out how to get there”.

Also, if you are enjoying these Business Brain Food podcasts, then make sure to share them via social media sites or email the links to family and friends. A lot of time and effort goes into producing each of these podcasts with the goal in mind of the more people we can inspire about business the better. You can help us do just that!

Until next time, have a profitable day.

Cheers,
Ben Fewtrell
(02) 9811 5000

Direct download: BBF139_How_to_get_your_website_firing_with_Jon_Hollenberg.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm AEDT

Spending big money on marketing and advertising is second nature to many businesses, but all too often they treat recruitment as an afterthought. Our guest this week, Roberta Matuson, explains just how important good recruitment is to your business, and gives us some great shortcuts that you can put into action today.

Roberta has a great track record in the business, having helped the likes of Microsoft, General Motors and The Boston Beer Company. She has also written two books on recruitment, one of which was listed in the Washington Post’s Top 5 business books.

Read on for some of Roberta’s best advice:

 

**  The leader of a company is all-important to recruitment. That’s what attracts the talent.

**  “Companies need to change their teams into recruiting machines” - don’t just defer to HR and wash your hands of it!

**  Don’t think badly of candidates who are unemployed. If they’re good enough, they’re good enough.

**  Linkedin is a great way of screening candidates - you can quickly check the credentials of people via your own extended networks.

**  Once you start the process of recruitment it’s vitally important you commit the time to see it through. Follow up those CVs and book in those interviews, otherwise the best candidates will be tied up elsewhere.

**  Always be in recruiting mode - a good waiter or bar person could be excellent for your company, so don’t be afraid to offer people opportunities when you stumble across them.

**  Don’t underestimate mature workers - you don’t always need to chase potential.

**  Recruiting is not just about finding new people - it’s about retention. Keep your best staff and you won’t need to work so hard on recruitment.

 

In this episode of Business Brain Food you will learn:

 

**  How to attract the best talent

**  The importance of authenticity

**  How to recruit for sales

**  Recruiting on Linkedin

**  When it’s appropriate to check people’s social media reputation

**  The value of a contract recruiter

 

Resources mentioned in this episode:

 

**  Are you an accounting firm looking to offer business advisory services? Are you a client of an accountant who wants your accountant to get more proactive? Contact ben@maxmyprofit.com.au

**  Ben’s free business Ebook: http://www.maxmyprofit.com.au

**  Roberta’s website: http://www.matusonconsulting.com

**  Roberta’s books can be bought here

**  All previous BBF episodes & show notes can be found at http://www.businessbrainfood.com.au

**  Facebook: www.facebook.com/businessbrainfood

**  Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/businessbrainfood

**  Twitter: https://twitter.com/bfewtrell

 

 

If you don’t get your recruitment right, your company will never fulfil its potential. Take note!

Also, if you are enjoying these Business Brain Food podcasts, then make sure to share them via social media sites or email the links to family and friends. A lot of time and effort goes into producing each of these podcasts with the goal in mind of the more people we can inspire about business the better. You can help us do just that!

Until next time, have a profitable day.

Cheers,
Ben Fewtrell
(02) 9111 5000

Direct download: BBF138_How_to_pull_top_talent_toward_you_with_Roberta_Matuson.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm AEDT

We spend so much time talking about the detail of day-to-day business, but what about life after business? Focusing on an exit plan is vital to ensure that your business enhances your life in the way that you want it to, and at the same time will make your day-to-day business more effective.

We have Australia’s leading exit planner on the show this week to show us the ropes on all-things exit planning. As well as being the largest succession planner in the country, Craig West has been awarded Exit Planner Of The Year, and more importantly has received the even greater accolade of being invited back onto this show because he was so good last time!

Keep reading for some of his top tips:

 **The number one problem with SMEs is over-reliance on one person at the top of the organisation.

**Make a succession plan, even if you have no intention of selling up any time soon.

**You can triple or quadruple the value of your business if you do a proper exit plan.

**Do not underestimate the value of your competitors. They are likely to pay better money for your company than standard investors.

**It isn’t all about the sale price of a business - think about life after business.

**Don’t do it yourself - always use an advisor for your exit planning.

**You should spend 20% of your time working ‘on’ your business rather than working ‘in’ your business.

 

 In this episode of Business Brain Food you will learn:

**How long an exit can take

**How to maximise the potential exit options

**How to make your business attractive to a strategic buyer

**An employee share option explained

**How to sell to a listed company

**How to plan for life after business

 

Resources mentioned in this episode:

**Are you an accounting firm looking to offer business advisory services? Are you a client of an accountant who wants your accountant to get more proactive? Contact ben@maxmyprofit.com.au

**Ben’s events across Australia: http://www.businessfasttrack.com.au

**Ben’s free business Ebook: http://www.maxmyprofit.com.au

**Craig’s succession planning service: http://www.successionplus.com.au

**All previous BBF episodes & show notes can be found at http://www.businessbrainfood.com.au

**Facebook: facebook.com/businessbrainfood

**Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/businessbrainfood

**Twitter: https://twitter.com/bfewtrell

 

 

As Craig says, it’s very easy to put off exit planning because it doesn’t feel like it’s fundamental to the day-to-day, but if you listen to the show you’ll realise just how vital it actually is. Make sure you get your plan in order!

Also, if you are enjoying these Business Brain Food podcasts, then make sure to share them via social media sites or email the links to family and friends. A lot of time and effort goes into producing each of these podcasts with the goal in mind of the more people we can inspire about business the better. You can help us do just that!

Until next time, have a profitable day.

Cheers,
Ben Fewtrell
(02) 9111 5000


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